Fracture
by therisingharvestmoon
Summary: Both of them will have to make decisions; some involving the heart. Skulduggery/Valkyrie. AU
1. Chapter 1

**A/N - **I will continue this fic. Please review. I don't own the rights to Skulduggery Pleasant, I'm merely taking him for a test drive. This is based on the book series, and is only my fantasy of what I'd like to happen in the last book. Hopefully a Valkyrie/Skulduggery romance. But not China I don't like her. Happy readings anyways. :D

* * *

_Closed off from love I didn't need the pain_

_Once or twice was enough but it was all in vain_

_ Bleeding Love - Leona Lewis_

**Chapter One **

It was quite hard to remember what Skulduggery Pleasant looked like before he was a skeleton. Quite handsome, he assured himself frequently. How could an old bag of bones like him fall for the beautiful eighteen year old Valkyrie Cain?

She would soon inherit Gordon's fortune, but for today, they were out getting a troll out from under the alter of Westminster Abbey. He glanced at her from the driver's seat of the Bentley. 'Hmm.'

'What?'

'Nothing.'

'What?' She glared. 'Skulduggery.'

'I was just thinking … never mind.'

The steering wheel was nearly jerked from his hands as she shoved him. 'Now you _have _to tell me.'

He sighed. It was still a mystery to her how he did that without vocal chords. 'Fine. I was think about my wife, Alison Pleasant, and our baby, Christine. They had the same hair.' He faced the road.

'Oh… I'm sorry.'

He waved his hand, then gripped the steering wheel as the car swerved, chuckling nervously. 'Oh, oops. No it's fine. I was just thinking.'

The girl formally known as Stephanie decided to leave him to himself until they got there. She sighed. He didn't have a heart, but she guessed there would be a fracture where it would have been. It made sense. She just wished… no. It was a stupid thought. The engine died. They were there.

The troll wasn't too hard to find, as it was over eight foot tall, hairy and smelt of fetid meat. 'Oh there you are.' Skulduggery stated calmly as it turned slowly with a grunt. They'd done trolls a lot. He nodded to Stephanie, who struck out her hand, sending the beast flying. Skulduggery pressed a button on his car keys and a net dropped from the ceiling.

The Elemental nun thanked Valkyrie and Skulduggery, as she dragged the troll away with incredible strength, rambling about how she'd have got it if she still had any agility whatsoever.

When they got back to Valkyrie's house, she looked at her sleeping reflection through the window. 'Wait,' she said as he was about to leave. 'Can I stay with you? I'll swap back in the morning.'

She felt her face redden and Skulduggery looked at her. She guessed if he had eyebrows they would have been raised. 'Um, why?' He managed.

'I want to talk to you.'

'You can't just talk to me now?'

'No I mean, really talk to you.'

He paused. 'Is… that not what you're doing?' He asked slowly.

'Skulduggery!'

'Oh sorry, right. Well, no. It's not like – I just don't think it would be, all and entirely… appropriate.'

She rolled her eyes. 'Oh come _on. _Nothing's going to happen!' She felt herself blush. 'What I mean is, nothing's going to happen to _me _if I stay in you're apartment. It's not likely I'll be ripped to shreds by a crazed bride of Dracula, is it?'

'Not unless China sees you come in…' He muttered. 'Uh, nothing! Oh fine then. You are so annoying sometimes.'

She grinned. 'I know.'

When they arrived, Skulduggery fumbled with his keys for a while, but thankfully, China didn't notice when they arrived on his floor. It was the one directly above the library. Valkyrie grinned. She'd always figured him for the solitary type.

She was quite impressed with Mr Pleasant's living space. It was a neat, one bedroom apartment with a tidy kitchen, painted in deep shades of crimson and black. A large TV was set up in front of a blue and white striped sofa. There were some wine bottles and glasses on the shelf and a fruit bowl in the centre of the coffee table.

'I'll take the couch, since I insisted on staying.'

He mocked surprise. 'You're so gallant, my lady!'

'Oh shut up.'

Stretching out his feet along the couch, he offered her to sit on the armchair. She obeyed.

'Shoot.'

Valkyrie jumped. 'What?'

'You wanted to talk? Talk.'

His old fashioned way of speaking had always impressed her. As did the smooth velvety tones of his voice… no. It was her turn. 'I wanted to know… how he killed them. Your family.'

'Oh. But that's one of those awful sob stories filled with lots and lots of angst and drama. Don't you get enough of that as a teenager?'

Silence.

'Fine then. He used his hand. Actually that wasn't as long and drawn out as I thought…'

She would have smiled if the situation wasn't so serious. 'Oh. I know what that's like.'

'Mmm.' He said, nonchalantly. 'And you couldn't have taken the half a minute to ask me at your house?'

'Do you have a problem with me staying here?'

'You didn't answer my question.'

'You didn't answer my question!'

'I asked first.'

She glared at him through her green eyes. 'Gah, fine. I just, I didn't want to go home tonight.'

Valkyrie could sense Skulduggery frowning. 'Trouble?'

'At home? No. Not at all. I just...' She sighed. 'I don't know.' Skulduggery patted the space next to him and she reluctantly sat down. 'I've realised some things, you know.'

'Oh no.'

'What?' She asked, a little unnerved.

'Is this one of those female stages?'

She looked highly unimpressed. 'No, I don't think so. I was thinking - I'm going to have to leave my family, or make the choice to leave the world where I belong. I don't want my parents to think their only daughter doesn't love them.' Tears were welling in her eyes. 'Pathetic, I know.' Her head rested on his shoulder - quite uncomfortable considering it was made of bone.

'Not at all.' He said. 'I can understand perfectly. You came into this world, you weren't born into it. It's entirely your desicion though, which basically brings us back to square one.'

'But...' She bit her lip.

'Mmm?'

'I don't want to leave you either.'

'I can certainly find another partner, if I chose I want one. You needn't worry about me.'

She gulped. 'YesIdo. Iloveyou.'

'I'm sorry?' He said, turning his skull slightly. 'What was that.'

'I don't want to leave, because I love you.'

Skulduggery looked at Valkyrie. Valkyrie looked at Skulduggery. Valkyrie burst into tears, sobbing into her hands. 'I'm sorry!' She cried.

'Don't be sorry. I... I'm very flattered, Valkyrie, I assure you. But, well. I don;t know WHAT to say. What's say we sleep on it? You on the couch, of course.'

She felt like a prize idiot.

He was more silent than usual. Handing her a soft blanket from the cupboard, he mumbled goodnight and retreated to his bedroom. She cried herself to sleep. How could she be such an idiot? She felt safe and annoyed at how much like a little kid she was as she fell asleep with her blanket.

Meanwhile, Skulduggery lay perfectly still. Of course, he didn't sleep, but now he couldn't rest. The truth was he had no idea. About anything. Not one bit.

* * *

**A/N - **When SP is as famous as Harry Potter, I want to be remembered as the girl who wrote the first SP fanfiction.

Review!


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N - **Please enjoy reading this chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it.

**Chapter Two**

Skulduggery Pleasant couldn't sleep. Well, he actually couldn't ever sleep, but tonight had he been able to, he couldn't if he tried. Where did this come from? Surely she had gotten over her stage of fascination with his last minute rescues and looking out for her and such like? He cracked his knuckles, and then shook them. It hurt. Maybe this _was _just one of those phases, which she'd get over.

'Which she _has _to get over.' He corrected himself. There was no way on earth partners could be partners, that was just ridiculous. He shook his head – he didn't like confusing himself. He sighed and sat on his bed, wondering.

_Yes, _he reasoned with himself, lying down to rest, _yes she'll get over it. Everyone gets over these things at some time or another. I mean, _I _got over my crush on Grace Kelly, did I not?_

The mammoth poster of Grace Kelly in _Rear Window _with Cary Grant stuck to the back of Skulduggery's door, looking at him as if puzzled.

'Dammit.'

It was a beautiful morning. Valkyrie Cain was awoken by the loud bang of her body falling onto the floor, tangled in blankets. She blew a strand of ticklish hair out of her face and muttered something darkly as she heaved herself up. Her mind raced, and she got the feeling of dread when you said something the day before, but after a good night's sleep make it seem like a very, _very _bad thing to do.

She walked into the kitchen, pulling her boots on. It was a very nice kitchen for someone who couldn't eat. At least, she assumed he couldn't eat; having no internal organs. 'Morning.' She mumbled, trying to use her long dark hair to hide the horrible red patches now covering her face.

'Good morning Valkyrie. Eggs?'

She frowned and spat some hair out of her mouth. 'What?'

'How do you like your eggs?'

Valkyrie would have laughed if she wasn't dying from embarrassment from last night. Love was a very strong word to use, she decided. She moved her hair out of her face so he could clearly see her raised eyebrows. 'What are you doing?'

'I'm cooking you breakfast!' He said cheerfully. Mr Skulduggery Pleasant, fierce detective of Dublin and Elemental extraordinaire was wearing a pink apron and chef's hat, cooking two tiny eggs in an oversized fry pan with his perpetual grin. It would remain in Valkyrie's memory for a long time.

'Oh… well…' Her embarrassed beetroot colour returned. 'I was um, actually hoping to get home early, and tell mum where I've been. It's my eighteenth birthday party tonight and whatever happens, I don't care if Godzilla is knowing your femur off, I'm going.'

His shoulder's slumped, disheartened. 'Fine,' he said, good naturedly, 'I'll take these down to Tanith and see if she wants them. I can't… I don't have a stomach.'

Valkyrie watched as he took the saucepan and made his way out the door. She sighed heavily. She felt guilty now, and on top of that terrible about last night. She couldn't exactly take it back and say 'Oops, sorry. I didn't actually mean it. Didn't mean to be a bother.'

She couldn't, because a – he wouldn't believe her and b – neither would she. As long as no one mentioned it, at all, ever, they would be fine.

Valkyrie checked her watch. They had seen each other for… five minutes now. So far, so good.

The door shut and Skulduggery returned in his hat and apron, his head cocked to one side. 'That girl…' He sat the empty fry pan down on the bench, 'gave me the strangest look.'

Valkyrie fought a giggle. She could imagine Tanith Low's reaction when a skeleton in a baker's hat and pink apron took eggs to her first thing in the morning. The imagined the expression to be somewhere between blank, amused and horrified. 'Oh, really?' She coughed. She sensed him glaring. 'What? It's not my fault you look ridiculous.'

There was a short pause, but she knew he wasn't angry, it was awkward.

'So, yeah, if you could drop me home that would be great.'

As soon as Skulduggery was out of his cooking outfit, they drove her home. It was probably the most awkward Bentley ride of both their lives. Skulduggery drove. Valkyrie looked out the window. Neither spoke as Skulduggery reached Haggard, and when they turned down her street, she felt she could have hurled herself out of the car. She guessed he did too, but that probably wouldn't be good for the whole 'driver-jumping-out-of-the-speeding-car' situation.

'Listen,' Valkyrie said, and Skulduggery nearly jumped through the roof of the Bentley. 'About my party tonight… I was really hoping you and Tanith would come, you know, seeing as you've sort of become my family over these years. Please? As a way of saying sorry for… my outburst.' She said, smiling weakly.

It felt as if a heavy weight had been lifted from both of them. He considered her offer. 'We'll be there. But don't expect us to be on time.'

Valkyrie grinned. 'I never do.'

As Mr Pleasant drove off, Valkyrie watched the car leave and take the turn back to the apartment. She frowned. She thought that was supposed to feel better. But it did feel good. The awkward feelings weren't so awkward anymore.

'Mum?' Valkyrie called when she was inside, having clambered through her window, changed, then headed downstairs. Her mother looked slightly concerned, but brightened to see her daughter in one piece. 'I'm sorry, I was at Hannah's house again.'

'You could have left a note, Steph.' Her frown lifted. 'Is she coming to the party?'

Valkyrie felt a knot in her throat, and she went into a coughing fit to buy her time to come up with a lie. 'Oh, sorry, frog in my throat. Um, no she can't. That's why I stayed at her house last night. To, uh… make up for it.

'Oh that's a shame. Now apart from the family,' Valkyrie cringed, 'who else is coming? Remind me again, dear, I lose track of your friends and I need to know for food.'

'Oh… right…' Stephanie said. 'Mr Pleasant is coming.' He mother's smile significantly lessened, but she still thought of him as a friend of Gordon, Stephanie's dead uncle, so that was okay. 'And Tanith Low.'

'Oh I see. Who?'

Valkyrie smiled, once again thinking of the pink apron. 'She… she used to be in the year above me at school. She's Mr Pleasant's niece.' The thought was practically making her bust from holding in laughter.

Her mother brightened, seeming to find comfort in the fact that this strange man had a family. Little did she know Tanith was just as weird. Valkyrie hoped she didn't bring her sword. 'Oh that'll be nice then. It's good to see your friends… Your father's coming home early, but I have just about everything organised…'

Without warning, she hugged her mother. 'Oh…' Melissa patted her on the back.

'I'm going up to my room, we didn't get much sleep last night… boy problems and stuff.'

'I see. That's fine, I'll call you when you want for lunch, okay?'

Valkyrie smiled. 'Thanks mum.' With that, she headed wearily up the stairs, finding something to wearing and procrastinate about her 'boy problems and stuff'.

**A/N - **Review!


	3. Chapter 3

**a/n** – It's true, I'm alive! I am so sorry, but only today did I get inspiration for a third chapter. I hope as many people are still interested in this fic. Well, lemme know anyways. Ciao.

* * *

**Chapter Three**

Valkyrie paced frantically around her room, kicking random objects into their places and moving things around neurotically with her hands. 'Gah,' she mumbled to herself, 'I'm going to have to explain I didn't actually mean… the L word. Arrghh!'

She glared down and booted a pile of dirty socks and underwear, which hit her astonished reflection in the face. It looked at her, amazed.

'Oh don't you say a thing!' Valkyrie snapped.

'Steph?' Her mother called from the door. 'Who are you talking to?'

Valkyrie nearly didn't answer. Her reflection gestured wildly.

'Oh, right. Sorry mum, uh, no one. I was just… thinking.'

'Oh, okay.' Melissa said, only sounding half convinced. 'Do you want a sandwich or something before tonight?'

Valkyrie opened the door a fraction to smile warmly at her mother. 'No thanks, I don't want to spoil all the food you've cooked. I was just deciding what I should wear. What time will stubby, dragon and the Sisters Pudding be here?'

Her mother faked a grimace. 'Stephanie, they're family.' She winked. 'Around five, I suppose. I know they'll be the first because the drago- uh, because Beryl will want to analyse all my cooking down to the potato salad.'

Valkyrie grinned. 'Hmm. Do you think I'd have time for a walk down to the wharf? I just need to clear my head, and I'll be cooped up inside tonight, so…'

'Sure honey, that's fine. You have fun. And Steph?'

'Yeah mum?' Valkyrie swung her satchel over her shoulder.

'I love you Steph.'

She smiled. 'I love you too, mum.'

As soon as her mother's footsteps faded down the stairs, the girl formally known as Stephanie jumped out her window, landed gracefully on her feet (with the help of some resistance magic) and walked down the path to the road, which led down to the ocean. It was around one o'clock, which gave Valkyrie plenty of time to relax and unwind before she was officially considered an adult.

In all honesty, she'd never looked forward to a party before in her life, mainly because of her fat, stupid twin cousins and lack of friends. Well, they would still be there for this one, but this time she had the pleasure of introducing to them one Skulduggery Pleasant. And she hoped Tanith would bring her sword.

Valkyrie hadn't been to the wharf in a while. It was troll season and their missions were varied and frequent, so she hadn't had time to let her hair down, so to speak. It was actually very long; dark and around waist length. Today was quite hot, so she twirled it into a high pony tail and took off her leather shoes, dipping her sweaty feet into the ocean.

Valkyrie thought. She knew China knew everything about Skulduggery's past, but she wasn't going to someone like her for petty answers. She wanted Skulduggery to tell her.

'Fat chance.'

She decided she would wear the black dress her parents bought her for her cousin Olga's wedding. Valkyrie sighed. It might be the last time she saw her parents, if she was fully inaugurated as one of the detectives – she wouldn't bring them into it.

There appeared to be no storms on the horizon, and she hoped that stayed true for the party.

Carrying her shoes in one hand, she didn't notice the Bentley parked behind some bushes. A lone figure got out and walked to the exact spot she had been sitting. He looked at the ocean for some time, the evening drew in and a slight breeze cooled things down. Perfect weather – for what he wasn't sure.

He seemed to be having some sort of internal struggle.

'I can't do this to her. But it's what Gordon wanted! Yes, but I think he was out of his mind. Gah.'

He stopped short; mildly surprised he had picked up saying the word 'gah' from a certain colleague.

For tonight, he was certain, nothing was going to happen. But after then he had no idea. He stepped forward and looking into the roaring waves.

In his skeleton hand, Skulduggery Pleasant held a black onyx pendant. A passer by might think he was going to toss it into the ocean the way he held it, and it looked like he was considering it.

He sighed (or at least made the motion of looking like sighing) and placed it back in his pocket.

'Better get ready for this party.'

* * *

**a/n - **Woohoo! Mystery, intrigue, review!


	4. Chapter 4

**a/n - **I am so sorry I haven't updated but there are so many reviews and I'm scared of living up to expectations here. Anyway, enjoy.

* * *

**Chapter Four**

'Better get ready for this party.' Valkyrie mumbled, pulling the tight, black, ex-wedding dress over her head. She looked at her reflection in disgust. It stared back, puzzled.

'Hey, look at yourself, too! You look like your trying to back up the impression I gave Skulduggery the other night as well!'

The Stephanie-reflection looked even more confused and the real one nearly hopped backward out of the window, trying to get her balance and tie a stick-thin high heel to her foot with black lacy straps. She righted herself and huffed.

Valkyrie looked once more in the mirror and headed downstairs on those precariously thin heels, where her mother was talking to the first guests – Beryl, Fergus and the twins.

'I would have thought by eighteen I would have filled out a bit.' She muttered to herself as she passed the mirror in the hallway. One of the girls (she wasn't sure which one) was choking on a crisp while the other one slammed her on the back with her beefy hand. Valkyrie smirked. 'Okay, maybe not that much.'

A few minutes later, a few of her school friends had arrived. They started the conversations effortlessly; apparently they liked her reflection a lot more than they ever liked her. That was good.

One of them, Hannah she thought her name was, raised her eyebrows and looked over Valkyrie's shoulder. 'Um, were you expected gate crashers? Or at least what appears to be the Phantom of the Playboy Mansion.'

Valkyrie paused in the middle of sipping her drink. 'Eh?'

Hannah grinned again. 'Covered over face, gorgeous blonde at his side… hey I thought it was a good joke.'

Valkyrie whirled around and no doubt, there was Skulduggery Pleasant and Tanith Low. He wore a long, black tailored coat, a black scarf and large vintage sunglasses instead of his regular frames. Tanith was wearing a dress which made all bar Valkyrie feel underdressed. And by the way he held himself, she guessed Skulduggery would have been blushing as they walked arm in arm, looking for her.

She gave them a small wave as the guests looked on in intrigue and in Beryl's case, malice.

'Hey Val- ow, Skul! Hey Steph!' Tanith beamed. Valkyrie laughed and hugged her; she could imagine Skulduggery already regretted bringing Tanith, who was less used to using Stephanie's real name than he was.

The night went on accordingly; Stephanie was a little tipsy on wine, and she wondered if maybe she should swap herself for the reflection before she gave any secrets away. Skulduggery had a fascinating conversation with Beryl about particle physics. Well, he had a conversation. Beryl gripped the bench behind her and nodded appropriately, all the while staring at him as if he were some poisonous spider.

After the cake was cut and a slightly slurred Stephanie made a speech, the younger children and some of Stephanie's friends went home. Some of the older adults decided to go to bed early, but Tanith, some cousins and her parents friends still drank.

Valkyrie edged her way over to Skulduggery, and they both watched her parents on the couch talking to one of Stephanie's great aunts twice removed, trying to convince her she'd had too much sherry.

'Enjoy tonight?' She asked casually.

'Yep.' He answered, a tad stiffly.

Oh no, Valkyrie thought. He's still upset about the other night…

'I have something for you. A present.' He said suddenly.

She blinked. 'Really?'

He lifted his bony hand from his pocket to reveal a pendant of dark cut glass. At least, she thought it wasn't a jewel…

'Oh. Thankyou.' Was this to do with what she said, or how he felt?

'I'm sorry, thanks for everything, but I have to go now, goodbye, Valkyrie.'

And he turned on his heel and ran, not even sparing another look at her. She stood there, stunned at his use of words and her name. What did that mean? She looked at Tanith for help, but she just sat with her mouth slightly agape. Apparently she wasn't counting on her ride home to vanish, either.

'What's going on?' Melissa asked, looking from Tanith's incredulous gaze to Stephanie who remained rooted to the spot.

Slowly, she spoke.

'I have no idea.'

* * *

**a/n - **Oh yes I know I WENT THERE.

I did a cliffe. But I won't leave it as long to update. Review!


	5. Chapter 5

**a/n - **It has once again taken me forever to update. I do apologize but I needed to think of the latter, complex plotlines of the later chapters to tie into these ones. Very difficult. Anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter. Review!

**

* * *

**

**Chapter Five**

Skulduggery timorously changed gears, driving away from her as fast as he could. He did what he had sworn to do, and now he needed to find a way of working around it.

If she put that necklace on, Stephanie would never be able to enter his world again.

Gordon knew it was going to happen. He was so afraid his beloved niece would get caught up in the world he knew too well; the world which would inevitably be the cause of his death.

"Oh, Gordon. Did you happen to realise she's just doing the same damn thing you did?" His unused ashtray did not respond and his scoffed.

The road was slippery, but he kept on driving faster and faster – as he didn't have Tanith to tell him to "slow the bloody hell down!" In fact, it probably wasn't the best idea to leave her at the part, all wine and beer as she was. It would probably make the thrashing he got later worse. But right now he didn't care.

When he got to China's library ten minutes later, he was expecting a "I knew you'd come crawling back" remark, or at the very least a slap in the face, but he wasn't prepared for the massive, gooey hug she gave him when he stepped in and explained.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes?"

"Absolutely sure?"

"China…"

"Right! Alright… come with me."

He followed her to the back of the library to her own personal restricted section, which he guessed contained a number of gossip columns and awfully romantic novels that she read on late nights when –

"Hey! Are you listening to me Skulduggery?"

"Yes. Uh, no. What'd you say?"

She rolled her blue eyes and lifted a book thicker than Ghastly's wit out of the cluttered shelf and placed it carefully on her reading desk. "I'll go through this and see if I can find anything about enchanted items or the like."

Skulduggery took his hat and scarf off and laid them on her messy desk. He tapped his metacarpals against his jaw. "Okay. I can't do anything, can I?"

She winked at him, flicking a page. "Nothing at all."

He folded his arms, sitting in the chair opposite her. "Oh don't think just because I took my hat off doesn't mean I'm getting comfortable with you China."

Her perfect features didn't move an inch. "Of course not, Skulduggery."

"Enough of that. Look… I'm trying to help my friend China."

Her voice was simply curious with no trace of malice when she asked again. "She's more than a friend though, isn't she Skul? I mean you haven't really gotten along with anyone as well as Valkyrie."

"Mmm."

A few minutes passed in which Skulduggery examined some of the books on China's personal shelf (no shock there were a few with that Fabio bloke on them) as she flicked more and more pages, finding nothing.

"She can't just make the choice herself, can she? I mean to put it on or not."

"Yeah... that sounds about right."

China pursed her lips, still looking for something. "Is that why you made her the reflection to absorb all the memories? So that when after she saves the world, that pendant will activate and everything she's done with you will be redundant? Unremembered? She'll just be Stephanie again, the relfection's memories hers?"

Skulduggery turned his head slightly and looked at her for a long grinned. "What? Am I doing that thing again?"

He uncrossed then crossed his arms. "If by 'that thing' you mean driving me absolutely insane by knowing things that I know I'VE never and VALKYRIE has certainly never told you before, then yes, that THI- "

"Hang on!" China flailed her arms about.

He tilted his head. "What?"

"That could be it!" She spoke rapidly as she flicked pages. "If you find out her true name, then maybe you can unlock this thing, or at the very least give her a choice when she's done _saving the day..._"

Skulduggery chuckled. "You really can't handle the fact that we get to go around playing cops and robbers, and you creep around in here, still chasing after me in your head."

She flushed, not looking up from the massive book. "What? Oh come _on._ Well, alright."

He got the feeling the joking tones were wearing thin, so decided to stop provoking her if Stephanie was ever going to retain her memory. "Sorry. You know, this isn't the biggest problem - I don't even know why Gordon thought she was the chosen one. I mean, something bad has to happen, something really bad to make someone have to save the day, yeah?" She was silent, letting him muse. "But why do I care so much about her forgetting this... And me?"

Had China not been there, he wouldn't have answered the question himself. But she simply said, "You love her."

He chuckled again. "Yeah, I guess I do." He saw a shot of pain flicker across her face, but it was gone in less than a second. "Funny thing is, I was about to tell her - and then she told me. But I need to help her, China."

She nodded, humbled for once in her life. "Yeah. For all our sakes."

Skulduggery nodded, taking the book in his fingers. "And I think, China Sorrows, we may have found the answer."

* * *

Stephanie sat on her bed, tears leaking from her puffy eyes in a slower stream than say, half an hour ago. She sat with her cupboard door shut - she had no desire to see the quizzical eyes of her reflection now. He left - not only had he left but he'd run from the room and jumped into his car, tyres screaming all the way.

"Oh yeah, say the L word and this is what happens." She mumbled bitterly to herself. She crawled back on her bed and held up the pendant he'd given her to the light. Maybe this was some sort of preconcieved trick? No, he wasn't into that sort of thing. Or... no. He wouldn't give her a _pendant _to say 'I love you too', would he? No way, unless...

Unless she was meant to put it on, and something would happen.

It was too late, she decided. Too late, too much red wine, too tired. Walls were too spinning. Ugh. Her head would hurt in the morning.

Valkyrie put the dark jewel on her bedside table and flicked her lamp off, falling asleep almost instantly.

* * *


	6. Chapter 6

**a/n - **Sorry I haven't updated in yonks. Enjoy.

* * *

**Chapter 6**

'Oh my gosh oh my gosh oh my gosh don't drive so fast.'

China and Skulduggery gave Tanith a cold, condescending look, then realised no one was looking at the road. Skulduggery swerved and righted himself, making Tanith go even greener.

Skulduggery made a low growling noise. 'There are only so many of these cars made, Tanith. And I JUST got this one refurbished, so if you feel the need to throw your wine infested guts up on MY lambs wool seat covers, be prepared to spend the night with Spring-Heeled Jack.'

'Uhhhhhh.' Tanith replied.

China returned to her book, looking for something about the memory pendant, or the nature of the true name. So far, they had come up with nothing. It was at China's suggestion, however, that they pick up Tanith and get Stephanie. Just in case. She didn't really mind the romance, or lack of romance, or thing that was going on between her and Skulduggery. He was just a messed up skeleton. She didn't care.

'Bugger.'

China had gripped the book so hard on the last thought she gave herself a minor paper cut.

Skulduggery glanced over. 'Stressed?'

'Shut it, Death. We need to make sure that she doesn't look into the mirror. Even if she does put the necklace on, nothing will happen unless the memories are transferred. I have no idea who gave that pendant to Gordon and told him what they did, but there's every chance it will wipe the real Stephanie's memories clean and leave a trapped reflection, with the imprint of memories and no ability to make more.'

Skulduggery drove faster. Tanith gurgled.

Skulduggery looked in the rear view mirror nervously. 'Lamb skins…'

China glared at him. 'Shush you. Now pull over here. It's far enough away as to not wake or startle her.' She sucked her paper cut irritably.

They got out of the car. China and Skulduggery prepared to sneak into Stephanie's room without her noticing. Tanith was put on 'car watch' and Skulduggery insisted she sit outside the car.

'You know, we might be wrong.' China whispered as they jumped the Edgely fence together.

'About what?' Skulduggery shot back, annoyed.

'What the pendant is.' She still sucked her finger. 'It looks like a memory pendant and sounds like one, but that might just be a cover. In fact, considering the circumstances of Gordon's death… Well someone could have planted it there?'

She felt Skulduggery frown as they glided up to Stephanie's window. 'You have a point. And as to why Gordon left me that advice… Never mind. Let' just get it from her. Quietly.'

China nodded, quietly lifting Stephanie's window and stepping into the dark. Skulduggery followed. Stephanie sat in the middle of her bed. They froze. It might be too late if she'd already put the necklace on. Skulduggery saw the chain dangling in her hand. She hadn't. There was still time.

'Valkyrie.'

She turned about slowly and jumped when she saw them. 'What are you doing here?' She whispered, annoyed. For once her anger was centred on Skulduggery as opposed to China.

'Valkyrie...' Skulduggery began.

'What? You left. AND you took Tanith. Now its just my parents and my slightly tipsy Aunt Beryl.' She shuddered at the thought of her aunt calling her father 'Dessy dog'.

'I need that necklace.'

'WHAT?' China shot her a warning look and stepped forward, but she ignored the older woman. 'Okay first... first I tell you something very important, then you give me this, and now you want it back?' She looked at China's knowing look and twirled the necklace around her wrist, where it instantly clamped tight and Valkyrie screamed.

'Quick!' Skulduggery picked her limp body up. He went to touch the pendant.

'DON'T!' China whispered. 'Whatever it is it's already been activated, now get her out of here.' She quickly got the reflection out of the mirror and left before Stephanie's mother opened the door.

'What is it sweetheart?'

The Stephanie reflection blinked. 'Oh... um... I thought I saw a really big spider.' It lied. 'It must have gone, I can't see it now.'

Melissa rolled her eyes. 'As long as you're okay. I'm going back down to the adults. Your uncle is dancing a sideways jig under the table... Goodnight.'

'Goodnight.' The reflection copied, hopping in Stephanie's bed and looking down anxiously into the street below.

Tanith was on full alert when they bought Stephanie back to the car, unconsious. China drove, as they didn't want to risk a breath test, and Skulduggery and Tanith sat with Stephanie, whose skin was mottled purple and yellow as if she were being poisoned. 'Hurry China.'

She didn't say a word, but floored the Bentley.

Skulduggery leaned down to Stephanie's face. 'Can you hear me? I know you can hear me.' Despite his lack of facial features, Tanith couldn't help noticing the panic in his voice. 'Valkyrie? Valkyrie?'

No response.

He looked up at Tanith again. She felt his worry, and she gave him a look that said 'say what you want in front of me, I won't think you're any less awesome.'

'Stephanie?'

She made a sound crossed between a groan and a gurgle. At least it was a sound.

'That's it.' He coaxed, putting one skeletal hand behind her head. 'Can you hear me?'

'My... wrist...'

'We can't get it off Val, we tried every way...' Tanith replied.

She groaned. 'No... No it hurts...' She slipped out of consiousness again.

Skulduggery drew back Stephanie's sleeve to reveal a horribly charred hand, skin bubbling away from her hand below the pendant.

'Oh my...' Tanith's hand went to her mouth. The flesh was being burned away, to the bone it appeared. They felt the car slowing down. Skulduggery said nothing, and now Tanith had no idea what he was thinking but she could guess. 'Oh my God, what do we do?'

* * *

Review! Will update soon.


	7. Chapter 7

**a/n - **Woah, this is the longest chapter yet! And lemme tell you, its only because I have the day off school sick and I'm ahead in my studies. I hope you like it. Another character added at the end and a bit of an explanation. Cheers.

* * *

**Chapter 7**

The sounds of the Real Stephanie's eighteenth birthday party had slowly died down not long after they had replaced her with the reflection. The latter now held a mobile phone; a copy made with all the Real Stephanie's regular contacts. The reflection did all the day-to-day things Valkyrie was missing out on. Reflection Stephanie worried about that; and didn't think that was a good thing – reflections aren't supposed to worry. But it couldn't help it tonight.

The reflection pulled the blanket up to its neck where it sat on the Real Stephanie's bed and looked again at the tiny mobile screen. Still no messages, it thought. I wonder if anything really bad has happened. The pendant had wrapped itself around Valkyrie's wrist and started broiling her flesh. What if it had been around her neck? Maybe that was the point…

Something sparked in the reflections brain; another human trait it knew it wasn't meant to have – intuition. It held the sweaty phone in its hand and didn't know what was more distressing; the thought which just occurred to it, or how it would tell the Skeleton Man about that thought. The Real Stephanie's warm bedroom was far away from where the Real Stephanie was now.

'Please hurry China, I don't think Stephanie's wrist should end up looking like mine.'

He said it jokingly; a poor attempt to cover up the panic that neither China nor Tanith missed. The four of them, including Valkyrie, were the only ones allowed in the library. It was far too dangerous.

China flipped through books ten pages a second. She was looking for magic spells that could have been used on the pendant. They needed to find a counter-spell, as touching it only made the chain tighter.

'There doesn't seem to be anything here.' She said as calmly as possible.

'Let me look,' Tanith said, grabbing a book from the pile. She suppressed the urge to roll her eyes – if her trained eyes couldn't find it, she doubted anyone else could, especially Tanith Low.

Tanith's frown deepened as she slowly turned the pages, still looking.

'Now do you believe me?' China snapped.

Tanith slammed the book shut. 'I'm just trying to help.'

'Yes I know you like to feel… involved.'

'What is that supposed to mean?'

'Shut up!'

The two women turned to see Skulduggery holding his phone with an air of surprise and confusion. They watched as he answered it.

'Yes?' He said, politely trying to mask his confusion and worry for Valkyrie.

They the soft babble of a female voice, but couldn't make out what she was saying.

'I don't understand how you could possibly figure that out…'

There was more explanation from the other end.

'Yes, but, you aren't supposed to know things like that. It's a bit alarming.'

The voice grew slightly louder and sharp.

'Oh. Well, yes. I know that, but this thing is eating her arm slowly away.'

'Yes you're lucky it is slowly otherwise she'd be dead!' Tanith snapped as she stomped over to Skulduggery. She snatched his phone with a 'gimme that!' and put it to her ear. 'Hello? This is Tanith Low.'

'It's me, Stephanie's Reflection.'

She rolled her eyes at Skulduggery and said 'Oh so that was what that was all about. Well, I think we've all figured out you've gone way past the stage of… anyway it doesn't matter. China's called in a magic expert but it might be too late by then. Tell me what it was you wanted to say.'

The reflection cleared its throat and told Tanith what it had first told Skulduggery, but with less interruptions.

'I think I know how to get that pendant off. Before when Valkyrie was upset she went outside for a walk.' Tanith's eyebrows shot up and she started to ask something, but the reflection cut her off. 'No, it was just a walk. Nothing happened to her it was only from her front fence, to the wharf and back – she gave me her memories to prove it. Anyway, when she was gone for that short while I… I wondered what had made her upset.' It lowered its voice to a whisper. 'I think Skulduggery upset her.'

Tanith looked at Skulduggery who was half arguing, half frantically searching through books with China. Then she looked at Valkyrie on the setting, unconscious, sweating and tense. 'Yeah, that doesn't surprise me. Go on.'

'Well when she went out I took a chance to… to look at the pendant.'

'And what happened?'

'Well it was from Skulduggery, I knew that from earlier. But he can't have done anything. So I was thinking maybe Gordon…'

Tanith turned her back, as if to shelter her words from her unconscious friend's ears. 'I know he was a bit out there, a bit Gothic and all, but he wouldn't try to kill his own niece.'

'I know that.' The reflection sounded nervous. 'But I was thinking, what if that pendant was given to Gordon? What if… the person who murdered him tampered with his will?'

'Yes, we thought that too.'

'There's more.' It sounded very nervous now. 'I… I… I put the pendant on. Just to see what it would loo-'

'What?!'

China and Skulduggery looked up.

The reflection sounded close to tears. Tanith gestured for Skulduggery to come closer. They both listened in to the receiver. 'I tried the necklace on, and it didn't do anything.'

Skulduggery decided it was worth everyone listening, and put the mobile on speaker phone.

'Then what happened? What did you do then?'

'I just put the pendant back in the box, and it sat there until you arrived and she put it around her hand…' The crackling speaker made it sound as if the reflection was crying. Skulduggery hoped it was the speaker, but they all knew the reflection wasn't really that close to a reflection anymore. It was almost human. Then a thought crossed his mind.

'Almost human… almost, but not quite, why not quite?'

Tanith gave him a puzzled look and the phone was silent, but China's eyes widened.

He looked at her and she nodded. 'Blood?'

'Yes.'

Skulduggery picked up the phone and spoke quietly. 'We will call you back a bit later. I think she's going to be alright.'

Tanith was confused. China skipped lithely around the shelves and picked out certain books at a rapid speed. Skulduggery went to Valkyrie who had previously been neglected and stroked her hand, looking at the pendant.

Tanith approached him, as she always did when there was a choice between him and China.

'What's going on?' She knelt down at the back of the settee and stroked Valkyrie's dark, straight hair, now matted with sweat.

'Her blood. It's what made the pendant attack her and not me or the reflection.'

'I understand the you bit…'

He looked up. 'Why, because I have no blood?'

'Uh, no, because you aren't related to her.'

'Oh, yes. Well, that's exactly it. It's her lineage; her genes. A Blood Spell.'

'That's what I'm looking for.' China added from the reading desk.

Tanith frowned. 'Yeah, I get that. But… what about the reflection? Shouldn't it have the same blood type as her? What if she wants to give blood in later life?'

Another thing the Real Valkyrie will miss out on, Skulduggery thought. 'It does have the same blood type as her, but not the same blood or genes.' Tanith's confused look did not leave. 'Okay, remember when you did that mission on South Africa and you knew you were going to be killed?'

'Yeah,' she said, dabbing Valkyrie's brow with her black sleeve, 'The real me came in after they killed the reflection and because they weren't expecting it… What's that got to do with blood?'

'Do you remember why you had to do it twice?'

She frowned, her pretty face seemed to have a gaunt look. Probably from the alcohol and worry. 'It was my watch, I forgot to take it off and all the numbers were backwards.'

'Mmmhmm.'

'Oh.' Her peaked face lit up with understanding. 'So is it… that the reflections genes are backward too?'

He grabbed a piece of paper and an ink nib from the desk, quickly sketched something and returned to Tanith and Valkyrie. 'Okay, this is Valkyrie.' He pointed to a terribly-drawn stick figure.

'It doesn't look like – '

'Just use your imagination. Okay. Here is her DNA.' He pointed to a double helix, also badly drawn. 'It curves this way, and the strands are therefore in place in a certain spiral… thing. You understand?'

She smiled slightly. 'Yeah, I get it.'

'Okay, so, this is the reflection. It's double helix is exactly the same, but yes as you said, backwards. A mirror image of the original. It's difficult to explain, but…'

'But I think I'm keeping up. Go on.'

'Okay. Say, she has a blood test done, that will show up the same. She's still O-negative. But not everyone that has O-negative blood in the world is related.'

Tanith's eyes widened slightly. 'Oh, so, if the reflection had a DNA test…'

He nodded. 'She wouldn't show up as being of the same family as her parents. That's why the pendant didn't attack the reflection. Speaking of which, I'll have to thank her- it – later.'

'I found it.' China said, running to them. 'It's a simple object placement spell, set to kill anyone, it seems, with Edgely blood.'

She bent down over Valkyrie and lifted her bloody, bruised and losing circulation. She took a delicate pair of gold scissors from her other hand, no doubt laced with magic.

'What we were trying to do was get the chain off, but my guess is the pendant itself contains the blood.' She carefully lined the scissors up to the link attaching the black pendant to the chain. 'No more pendant, no more blood. No more blood, no more spell.' The tiny scissors snipped the metal as if it were butter.

It happened all at once. As soon as the pendant was cut from the chain, it relaxed. A whoosh of air caught them all by surprise as the pendant exploded with a shriek, and left a splattering of dark, black blood.

China and Tanith took their arms away from their face, looking thoroughly disgusted. China stood slowly, to check if there was anything left. 'I'll put a protective spell on the room, just in case,' she murmured to herself.

Skulduggery was searching through his kit pack and retrieved a bandage. He pulled the chain gently from where it had sunk so deeply into Valkyrie's arm, and dressed it with an antiseptic. Tanith held up her limp arm as Skulduggery bandaged it. They both saw her eyes flutter.

'Val?'

'Valkyrie, are you awake?' Skulduggery whispered.

She groaned a little and murmured. 'That stings, you jerk.'

Tanith grinned.

'And what is that on your head?'

Tanith looked at Skulduggery. Some of the black blood from the pendant had sprayed on his bleach-white skull. 'Oh that is going to stain for sure.'

Skulduggery folded his arms. 'It's all very funny, but I think we all know how close we just came to…'

Valkyrie lifted her other arm weakly. 'You're right. Thank you.' She smiled.

Tanith noticed then that the noise China had been making had stopped. She had stopped moving.

She and Skulduggery looked up to see China frozen over her desk with her back to them.

'What is it?' Tanith asked, suddenly alarmed.

Skulduggery half-rose. 'China?'

'Who. Drew. On. My. Ten-thousand year old. EQYPTIAN. MAGIC. SCROLL?'

Tanith bit her lip. 'Um…'

Skulduggery took a hasty step back. 'Um…'

Outside on the street corner, a man in a travellers coat looked up at the building he as meant to be entering as he heard a woman howling like a banshee, followed by some loud breaking noises and a 'YOU CAN'T BUY ME ANOTHER ONE YOU SKINLESS BASTARD'.

The doctor frowned and sighed. China needed him more urgently than he first thought.

* * *

R&R! 3


	8. Chapter 8

**a/n **–_ Haven't had much time and no offence but this isn't a hard story to come up with ideas for so it's the one that will be updated most often this hectic year, who knows it might be finished soon. Cheers._

_

* * *

  
_

**Chapter 8**

'Ahhh, I see. Blood magic – that's some powerful stuff.'

Skulduggery folded his arms sullenly and muttered 'obviously' among other choice words as he stared at the newcomer, whose focus had quickly moved from the pendant itself to Valkyrie. And questioning Valkyrie. And standing what seemed to be very close to his protégé's beside.

'Yes it is,' said the skeleton detective. 'And who exactly would put it there? And HOW exactly did it get there without me noticing?'

The young man in his sand shoes and jacket turned to face the grumbling Skulduggery for the first time that night and said without malice, 'I don't know Skeleton Man, you tell me.'

Skulduggery lunged and China tapped the tattoos on her stomach to make the floor rug rip out from under his feet and make him fall flat on his tail bone. Doctor David laughed good-naturedly and even China smirked as he extended his hand to help the detective.

'Stop fooling around you two,' Tanith said as Skulduggery was lifted to her feet. Doctor David's smile did not disappear as they got back to business.

'As I was saying, I believe Miss Valkyrie here was the victim of a Blood Spell – '

Skulduggery muttered, 'And I was saying, we'd already – '

A stomp from Tanith's rather impressive boot silenced him.

Doctor David went on, apparently not noticing. 'Now I'm not accusing Mr Pleasant of treachery here, but I am saying whoever did put that spell on the pendant must have had access to the family's blood. As it were; Edgely blood.'

'So no one on my mum's side is involved then?' Valkyrie asked, smiling at Skulduggery to keep him included in the conversation and prevent another embarrassing rug incident.

'No. The gene is Edgely. You, your father's side.' Doctor David paced around the couch and scratched his chin thoughtfully. 'Its possible that whoever enchanted this pendant was also responsible for murdering Gordon.'

There was a stunned silence. China looked at Tanith who frowned. Valkyrie's eyes were still fixed on the doctor, whose eyes fell on the pendant. Only Skulduggery did not move.

'It's not possible.' He said.

The young doctor turned slowly and looked pleadingly at the skeleton. 'I'm sorry Mr Pleasant, I really am not trying to impose on your work or tell you that you missed anything. But the evidence – '

'Yes I know.' He said softly, approaching the table with the blooded pendant. 'And I believe you.'

Now Tanith and China's exchanged glances were shocked.

He faced them as a speaker would his audience. 'My opinion of the matter, which is of course the right one, is that the blood tying this pendant to Valkyrie is in fact the blood of Gordon Edgely. I also believe that the reason why I did not detect foul-play is simply because there was none.'

There was a short pause. 'What do you mean?' Valkyrie said slowly. 'That trying to kill me isn't foul play?'

'No, I am not. I'm saying that whoever did this had a knowledge of the spell required and access to Gordon's body. I use the term 'body' loosely, as I think Gordon Edgely did this himself.'

'What?' China said lowly. 'Why would Gordon put a Blood Spell on a pendant he intended to give to his niece. Why on earth would he do it if he knew it was going to you first? He left it in his will to you Skulduggery. Why?'

They all stared at him, thinking the same question; why?

Skulduggery picked up the chain with his delicate bones and looked at it in the dim night lighting of China's library. 'I said he had the knowledge – the resources. But not the expertise. Yes… yes. Gordon always wanted to be part of this world – he had spell books and relics and his little stories – but he never was part of it. Somehow, he must have been tricked into doing it before his death. I can only detect how intent affected a spell and in this case it wasn't detectable at all.'

'Suggesting, if I may, that there was a mix about the pendant, of evil and good intent', interjected David.

'That's right.' He looked truly frightening in the half-light with the smear of Gordon Edgely's blood on his bone white skull. 'And you're also right about something else, old man, the killer of Gordon Edgely must have been known and trusted, and is perhaps also known and trusted to Valkyrie.'

David frowned. 'I see. That puts her into very immediate danger. And how did you know?'

'It's written all over you. You've got to be what, seven – eight hundred by now?'

David smirked. 'Nearly nine. Yes, I thought the sneakers gave it away.'

The three women were staring up at Skulduggery and the doctor and had been in stunned silence for a few minutes now.

'Hang on, whose nine hundred years old?' Valkyrie stared at the young man. Well, who she thought had been young a few minutes ago.

'I am the witchdoctor Davrion Mortimer Teeros , madame, and I don't think this hair suits me at all.'

What seconds ago had been modern gelled spikes now fell down to the mans ears and some stubble appeared on his chin.

'Or David, for short.'

Valkyrie recoiled at the change. He and Skulduggery laughed together, and China's face revealed that she too was apparently in on… whatever it was. Tanith and Val remained very confused and still.

'Wait a minute,' the latter sat up and cradled her wrist. 'I thought you hated each other.' She looked at Skulduggery. 'Especially you.'

Skulduggery looked down and fiddled with his suit pocket. 'Uh, well, at first before I realised, I did have some inkling of… dislike.'

'Hmm, yes well. I think there's more of an age difference between us than you and her, don't you think Pleasant?'

Skulduggery gritted his jaw; he forgot that bastard could read minds. 'David if you do that again I can always go back to hating you, Old Man River.'

The surprisingly older man chuckled. 'Settle down, you are that young, Pops.'

Tanith looked more relaxed but Valkyrie's face was still unsure.

'Okay, that's great your friend is a mind-reader, but how does that help me? By the sound of your very confusing, heated conversation I gather I'm still in danger?'

'Oh very much so.' David's face grew grave. 'I am with Mr Pleasant on this one. And for good reason – for a Blood Spell to be continued there must be two participants in casting it no matter whose blood it is. So for it to have nearly taken your hand off then, my guess is he's still alive.'

'Or she.' Tanith said. 'So someone tricked Gordon into this, and then murdered him. It would have to be someone very close so that there was no evidence. Or at least no suspicion that it was them.'

'That's right,' China said, still flipping pages of a spell book. 'The person could have been at your party tonight, Valkyrie.'

The girl's eyes widened and she looked quite upset. 'You mean, someone in my own family murdered my Uncle?'

'No Valkyrie,' Skulduggery growled at China. 'No one is saying or even hinting at the possibility. No one else in your family has near the magical knowledge, if any at all.'

She frowned. 'But could they have been there?'

He sighed. 'It's possible.'

Tanith lowered herself to the settee next to Val. 'Don't worry. Your family wouldn't do anything like that. I think it's a good thing – two birds with one stone. If we find this person, we might find who liked Gordon and why.'

Skulduggery took action.

'David, you and China should start looking through books as you're the expert. Find out exactly what spell it was and what book it was from. It has to be listed somewhere as all binding spells are. China, you'll know how rare the book is if you find it, so maybe we can narrow our search down to a region?'

She nodded.

'Tanith, I will need you to phone the reflection and give it my exact instructions while we drive.' Finally, he looked at Valkyrie. 'Come with me.'

'Where are we going?'

'Somewhere safe.'

'It was safe for all these years since Gordon died but not now?'

'Not that the spell has broken. Whoever helped or made your Uncle cast it must have been very smart. For one, your uncle wasn't easily fooled. And also, once a spell is destroyed, this person will feel it. In fact, ever since you turned eighteen this person would feel the spell's presence. That would have given them even more time for them to know where you are before it was broken now. We need to go very soon.'

She felt the emotion welling in her throat. 'What about my parents?'

'It's you they're after. But that didn't stop them using your uncle. Tanith, you'll have to make a second call. Tell the squad to watch the parents house.'

'And Beryl and Fergus?'

He made an invisible face.

'Yes Tanith, and them too.'

Tanith rolled her eyes and picked up the Bentley's keys. 'Who am I, Agent 99? Lets go!'


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

She'd seen Doctor Who. It didn't take a genius to figure out that age difference didn't matter. What was that alien, nine-hundred-years old? Yet he still managed to attract nice, round 19-year-old blondes. Huh. Who was Skulduggery kidding? He fancied Val. Tanith knew it.

'Although', the particularly sharp turn jolted her thoughts, 'Doctor Who isn't exactly a skeleton… At least he looks young.'

It was around seven in the morning, and Tanith Low was doing what she always did when she got stressed; she visited Ghastly Bespoke. Tanith had oversaw the placement of a security squad at Valkyrie Cain's close relatives', and a mage at several of her close friend's houses. It was as secure as it could be for now, and there was nothing more she could do, but she needed to visit Ghastly.

Often she was undermined as a woman in her position, which Ghastly could understand. Before he was turned into a statue because of his ugliness and job – not because she could relate to being a statue.

As she turned to go through the forest to Serpine's old castle, now a tourist attraction, she thought she saw something flash through the trees. She slowed down; her initial thought was that it could be a deer and she wouldn't want to hit it. The feeling that followed made her speed up again, however, as anything could be lurking around these parts. Like that farmer. That sweet old man when Skulduggery had got sucked away; who would have thought?

Who would have thought?

Coming close to the clearing where the road would widen and the castle would be visible, Tanith had a sinking feeling that something was wrong. Not with Steph or her reflection, but here. Her, right here. But what? Why, after demons were buried so long ago?

But not her demons.

When she saw it her heart sunk and she clutched the brakes of her motorcycle, causing it to fish-tale in the gravel court yard of the old castle. The bike tipped and Tanith scratched herself getting her leg out before the exhaust could burn her. She ran to the empty space and breathed heavily. She hadn't had time for sleep but here was where Ghastly used to be, it was here.

She looked around, and remembered the thing she had saw in the woods on the way in. What had she seen? She dialled Skulduggery's number, hoping he was not busy. She didn't care if he was, but she needed him now. As the tone rang, Tanith Low stared at the freshly broken dirt where their friend Ghastly Bespoke had once been frozen still. She knew when the time was right Ghastly would be free of the spell. She knew that, and she hoped her guess was wrong. She guessed he had been freed the moment Stephanie Edgely had turned eighteen. But why?

Tanith listened to the dial tone on her cell phone and her eyes filled with tears; she struggled to keep looking around her. _I hope I'm wrong._


End file.
